So they want to put a mosque at ground zero?

Now to show I’m an equal opportunity basher of organized religion here is a summary of what I learned about Islam in my college humanities class. Basically Mecca was a melting pot of every religion and belief in the world at the time as well as a financial trading center, like a 6th century NYC of the Mideast (ironic). The Koran to believers (just like the bible to Jews and Christians) is the word of God, but I say the prophets and aspects of all the religions, idols, and beliefs of the day wrapped into a neat package and new religion is very convenient. Here is an excerpt from a website and links to that website and another about Mecca at the time of Mohammed.


In pre-Islamic Arabia gods or goddesses were viewed as protectors of individual tribes and their spirits were associated with sacred trees, stones, springs and wells. There was an important shrine in Mecca (now called the Kaaba) that housed statues of 360 idols of tribal patron deities and was the site of an annual pilgrimage. Aside from these tribal gods, Arabs shared a common belief in a supreme deity Allah (literally "the god") who was however remote from their everyday concerns and thus not the object of cult or ritual. Three goddesses were associated with Allah as his daughters: al-Lat, Manat and al-Uzza. Some monotheistic communities also existed in Arabia, including Christians and Jews. [20] [21] According to the tradition, Muhammad himself was a descendant of Ishmael, son of Abraham. [22


http://whttp://wapedia.mobi/en/Muhammad_before_Medina


http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=afy


The hardest part of disliking organized religion is most of the people I know that are religious are wonderful people who exemplify the best parts of religion, but from the beginning of time to 9-11 the examples hatred and violence that can spawn from religious fervor can be seen over and over and over. This makes me question putting a mosque at ground zero, maybe (probably) the majority of the people who would worship at this mosque are good people who want to practice our freedom of religion and live in peace. But there are other places for a mosque and maybe ground zero should remain religion free and a reminder to all of the dangers of religious zealotry, be it Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. Maybe a big John Lennon statue with an Imagine CD in his hand? I think I’m morphing into an old hippie, ehh as long as I look better than David Crosby!